The American Meteor Society has received over 1200 reports of a bright meteor that occurred at 19:54 (7:54pm EDT) on Friday evening March 22, 2013. The witnesses range from along the Atlantic coast ranging from Maine to North Carolina. This object was also seen as far inland as Ohio and Michigan. Individual reports may be viewed in the 2013 AMS Fireball Table. Refer to event #667 for 2013.

For those not familiar with meteors and fireballs, a fireball is a meteor that is larger than normal. Most meteors are only the size of small pebbles. A meteor the size of a softball can produce light equivalent to the full moon for a short instant. The reason for this is the extreme velocity at which these objects strike the atmosphere. Even the slowest meteors are still traveling at 10 miles per SECOND, which is much faster than a speeding bullet. Fireballs occur every day over all parts of the Earth. It is rare though for an individual to see more than one or two per lifetime as they also occur during the day, on a cloudy night, or over a remote area where no one sees it. Observing during one of the major annual meteor showers can increase your chance of seeing another one of these bright meteors.

Meteors often appear much closer than they really are. There is often a common misconception that the object appeared nearby when in fact the actual flight path was several hundred miles away and was witnessed over several states. It is your perspective that makes meteors appear to strike the horizon when in fact they are still high in the atmosphere. This is much like a jetliner seen low in your sky. It appears low to you but for someone located many miles away in that direction, the jetliner is passing high overhead. Meteors become visible at approximately 50 miles above the Earth’s surface. Friction slows these objects down until they fall below the velocity necessary to produce light. At this point they still lie at least 5 miles high in the sky. They are invisible below this altitude and cannot be seen as they basically free falling to the ground at 200mph. Very few meteors actually reach the ground as 99.99% completely disintegrate while still 10-20 miles up in the atmosphere.

Robert Lunsford

Bob has been interested in the stars as far back as he can recall His first experience with meteors was a biggie, the 1966 Leonid shower.
In 1980, a major awaking occurred. He received a sample copy of Meteor News. He was amazed to learn there was a group actually devoted strictly to meteor observing! He joined the group also started to view some of the minor showers list among the pages of Meteor News.
Lastly, he was contracted by Springer Publishing in 2007 to write a book on observing meteors. The book is now available and hopefully will be a useful guide to all interested in the enjoyable field of meteor observing.

87 comments

ellen6 years ago

Article states that “meteor that occurred near 2200 (8:00pm EDT) on Friday evening…”
2200 is 10 p.m.. I’m not out to correct anyone. just curious as to the time of the sightings. Were the reports close to 8 p.m. or closer to 10 p.m. Thanks guys

We seen this event as we were leaving my sons baseball practice in inwood wv. Was very bright ball of light shooting across sky. Also had like a green color to it as it passed. Looked like a flare being shot but there was no way it could have been flare because of angle in sky. Was a beautiful sight.

I was at Sperry Observatory in Cranford, NJ at the time. Just by pure chance I happened to be looking west toward Jupiter when I spotted what at first looked like a 4th of July rocket, starting perhaps 40 degrees up, rising almost vertically. It was very bright and green in color, with a long tail. It appeared to pulsate slowly several times, getting brighter and dimmer. It passed to the north of Jupiter, rose high overhead, somewhat to the south, passed to the north of the Moon, and finally expired as an orangey cinder to the southeast. A friend of mine saw his shadow clearly cast on the concrete underfoot and guessed that the meteor must have been at least magnitude -12. It was the most amazing meteor I’ve ever seen.

I saw this too– It was very very overwhelming compaired to the meteor that I witnessed tonite at 9:14 pm over Hunterdon County, NJ. The meteor you saw, I saw, and it shot straight over me!!! (March 22, 2013- approx. 8 pm). I saw its flames and silouette of an asteroid around 3-4 feet across and 4 feet wide?? I knew it was approx. that size and I told my uncle who also saw it in a different location. He said it was probably only the size of a softball. I later found out I was right. It also appeared to be about 3 1/2 telephone poles up high in height. Maybe 5 at most as it was at the lowest point – I saw it decending from way way way way up high – Higher than you can imagine – then it descended very rapidly as I was talking to a friend who told me to videotape it. I said “no” and couldn’t think straighter……Stupid me now. I think I was one of the closest ones to it as I only saw orange flames shooting out from behind this large rock as I saw it up very close– It was overwhelming and I didn;t know the speed then but I got in my car as it came closer – and as I rolled my window down to look up (which felt like an eternity in comparison) IT WAS GONE!!! COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED. The house I used to live in (where I was) is located 25 or 30 miles from the Jersey Shore- It was headed straight for the shore and was probably there 3 seconds later. If you saw colors or it was disintegrating…….it was out over our NJ Sea!!! It was purely an amazing experience….but as I say – overwhelming as my senses couldn’t take “the speed of it” in.

I saw it appear over my head at approx. 7:50 PM in Bayonne New Jersey. It appeared identical in manner as described by kenneth oakes – green fireball with a blue exterior surrounded by a white halo. It appeared to slow down to a consistent speed during the last seconds before it burnt out and broke apart into several dark pieces scattered before it like a shotgun shot immediately in front of its flight path.

I am also in CT, right on the beach. It was a gorgeous blue/green fireball with a sparkling white tail. It arced from west to east, right over the water and into the skies above the Atlantic Ocean. It seemed to be breaking up in a dazzling display of bright sparks before it disappeared over the horizon.

Witnessed this one and reported it here (great site btw!) and as a total naif I was wondering, is it typical that a meteor would appear this large, bright and colorful? It looked like an errant firework with a distinctly large central mass, far different from the other quick white streak of light type meteorites (meteorettes? meteorinis?) I have seen before.

While driving east on the 202 bypass west of Doylestown, Pa around 9:50 PM, I saw what appeared to be a very bright shooting star/meteor. It was to my right at about 2 o’clock in the night sky and traveled at about a 2 o’clock to 8 o’clock angle, going west to east. The sighting lasted 4 to 5 seconds. It was not a fireball but a streak that increase to a length of about 12 to 16 inches across the sky when it finally disappeared. If it had been a plane, at the speed that it was going, it would have been close to me and I would have seen it’s running lights.

Friday night on the late night news I heard the report about a fireball being seen, but that sighting was around 8 PM that evening. What I saw was between 9:50 and 10:00 PM Friday night. Was there another sighting that was not report?

I saw something very similar between the time you stated! It was as long but I was in a very bright suburban area close to NYC. Thank you for posting that bcuz I thought I was going crazy! well, crazier.

I was standing on the National Mall, between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument and saw it! It was beautiful and the tail behind it was just stunning with colors. What a perfect ending in to our trip to DC!!

Good Morning. I coach high school baseball in Broadway, Virginia in Western Virginia. We had a game last night and we witnessed this meteor at 8pm north of our location. It was not “blinding,” but it was thought to be a prolonged shooting star with a green color.

After the events that occured in Russia, I was a bit astonished that this was a meteor. And to be honest with you, it is quite unnerving.

What did I see last Friday night March 15 about 10 p.m.? While driving North on Rte 684 and approaching Exit 6, I saw what I called “a shooting star”..It was falling in the dark North Eastern sky. It had a tail and lasted for several seconds. My reaction was “wow, look at that”
Was it a metero or just a dying star?

I saw the metor and I was amazed by it I thought that it was a shooting star but I guess I was wrong. That was the first time I saw a medor and I was so excited to see my first one!!!!!!:) the one i saw was in DE in a supping vented!!!:)

I saw that!!!!! That was really cool to see and yes it was around 20:00 or 8 pm. It sort of flew in the sky for like 8-10 seconds maybe more then it just exploded into a bunch of pieces. It looked like a light with a blue tail… Soooo awesomeee only experienced something like that maybe 3 times in my life!!

Nobody seemed to mention this one but I saw one later around 12:35 am-12:45am in Bellingham/Franklin, MA along 495 South to the SW heading S-SE. Lasted about 3-5 seconds and from my view the light was maybe as wide as a pencil. Also had a green tint when I last saw it.

WE were coming out of Family Pizza in Colchester CT around 2000 when we saw this meteor. There were several people in the parking lot. My husband said “hey look at that” It was like a fireball i gues…it had a white orb with a green trail going in a southerly direction. This is the second time I personally have seen a meteor. The first was when I was living in northern New Hampshire about 2001, as I was driving home from work after 3-11 shift. It was about 2340 or so. Thie meteor was huge and all white with a thick shorter white trail. That was awesome too.

i was going to work i live phila. pa. at about 7:50 pm i seen something like a flare with colors…..it was so close it was above my head.i was in shock i started to yell out….anybody else see this……..i was stuck looking up as it pass me by with neon colors like blue red green i think purple…it was moving kind slow but fast because i blink and it was gone i had a good look for about 9 hold seconds as it pass by my head…it was wonderful……….beautiful………shocking and esquisite……..a memory forever

From Olney, MD; I was actually looking North for Polaris trying to get my bearings (out searching for Panstars) when the fireball started. It appeared a bit west of due north, quite bright and moving eastward. I was too awestruck to use my binoculars. It was 7:55 when I checked the time (a minute or two later).

I live in Virginia Beach, VA. My 8 year old grand daughter and I were on the Interstate and had a clear view of it as it streaked across the sky and then fizzled out. I immediately called my son and told him about it… an orange ball with a long green tail. I wasn’t sure what it was but I knew it wasn’t something I had ever seen before! It was amazing and I am so glad we were in the right place at the right time to see it!

I was travelling South on Route 9, just North of Latham, NY, around 8pm. I saw a light in the sky, appearing to travel East. At first I thought it was a plane since Albany International Airport is nearby. But then I saw the light flashing bright before it fizzled out, and I realized that it was a comet, shooting star, meteorite or fireball. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was definitely not a plane! I Googled it to see if any reports had been made, but I didn’t see any that early. The local ABC News affiliate/ weather report (WTEN) confirmed it later. Pretty cool to see something like this!

I was walking in pathmark open parking lot at 815PM est and all of a sudden sighted fireball… very pleasant experience.. was little cloudy so was not very clear but saw final blast before it disappeared. I believe it lasts for like 3 4 seconds… but best experience in my life

I live in Woodbridge, VA. I was sitting in my family room facing Northeast. I saw the fireball shoot across the sky through the trees behind our house. It looked similar to the videos we’ve seen of the meteor in Russia. Amazing site!

I saw it while driving west on Route 4 in Burlington Connecticut around 8:00 p.m. Friday evening. I’ve seen many meteors, but this was different. It was traveling in a generally north to south direction and appeared to be around the altitude that a small plane might fly, although that was probably only appearance. It seemed to be throwing off sparks, and as I watched it it flashed green. Truly amazing.

A beautiful sight ! Clear sky, when i saw a squashed white oval surrounded by a greenish color with a small green tail. The green was quite vivid. I saw this low on the horizon in the SW sky at approx. 7:53 pm 3-22-2013 from Cape Cod for a duration of 1.5 seconds.

Exactly a week before this one on a friday night at about the same time in the evening I saw the same type of meteor as far as the color radiating off of it. It was an intense green but short lived. It had a decent flight time but not quite as long as this one that is being mentioned here..However the directional path was the same exactly…I live in Florida and as I mentioned this was a week before does anyone remember seeing anything on that particular night…So anyway are these perhaps a part of the upcoming meteor show in April and these maybe are just the early birds of that same group coming! Also to add to this I have Skywatched at night on many occasions throughout the years when I can find the perfect blend of time and,clear skies. I must say it is one of the rarest simple pleasures that we have that a person can indulge in now and again and not have to worry about gaining weight or paying too much or waiting in line or any of those normal types of concerns…Its you and a lawn lounger and the night sky and nothing could be simpler…Add one person of good company and you have yourself the makings of a memorable night…

I was in Burtonsville, Maryland when I saw it. I tweeted about it about a minute after I saw it. I saw it around 6:50 – 7 PM. My mom and I weren’t sure if it was a shooting star or an airplane and I kept telling her that it wasn’t an airplane. I guess we were both wrong…

Schenectady, NY – On 3/22 we saw this around 8:00pm . We were stopped at a redlight on Carman Rd. and across the sky it went. We figured it had to be a meteor or some kind of fireworks. We saw red, yellow & green with a tail and then it was gone. We have never seen anything like it, and probably never will again. So amazing!

I caught the fireball on my home CCTV with a timestamp: 19:46:35 is when it appeared and tracked towards the east out of the camera view and lasted for 20 seconds. Pretty awesome. My camera was pointed towards the North.

I saw it too. But I keep forgetting to talk with anyone about it, LOL. Iwas driving and looked up into the sky and it seemed to explode but didn’t. It traveled from right to left. I live in Hartford, CT. I was traveling south at the time.

It was exciting but dag gonnit, I keep forgetting to talk about it. I will make a note to bring the matter up at a jazz concert Sunday at the Hartford Public Library.

I also observed this fireball. RVCC Planetarium and Duke Farms held a sky watch event at the farm with several families (Hillsborough, NJ, where it went directly overhead, from WNW to ESE). Most of the group witnessed the entire path of the event. This was at about 8pm. However, as I saw noted, there was another bright meteor at 9:50 pm that moved generally W to E, also on Friday night. I observed this event from my car, while traveling home from the sky watch event. So there was indeed a 2nd bright meteor – not as bright as the 8 pm fireball, but easily seen even from the car on the highway going east into Union county, NJ.

At about 2200EDT Friday (2013 March 22) the meteor passed over West Vincent Twp in the northern part of Chester County, about 35 miles west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As others observed, it appeared to as vert bright fireball with a bright green (presumably from dissociation and recombination of atmospheric nitrogen?) trail, much like a bottle rocket, but silent. (Were there any records of sound detected from the meteor?) From this location the meteor trajectory was low in the northeast sky, no more than 30 or 40 degrees above the horizon at its peak, first appearing from the north-northeast and disappearing in the east-southeast. (Is there a satellite image that recorded the meteor trajectory “from above”?)

I just found confirmation by another witness on the meteor I mentioned that I witnessed about a week before these two were seen on 3-22-13…it seems these two were witnessed as one at about 8pm and another at about 10pm….The one I saw was on 3-16-13 and zipped across Florida as I was traveling south on I-95 at that time and it seems it is confirmed by a Mr. Stuart McDaniel out of North Carolina as He has posted a photo of it here under the photos section above…The date and time and trajectory match my sighting exactly…

I should add that if Fran is correct about the date 3-15-13 and Chris M is correct about the time on Chris M observation …It means there was a 3-15-13 sighting ..as well as the one I myself witnessed out of florida and Stuart McDaniel out of North Carolina on 3-16-13…and then the 3 witnessed on 3-22-13 at about 8pm-10pm and 12:35,12:45 am… respectively to the 3 different time frames associated with the night of 3-22-13 …actually 12:35am12:45am for Chris M observation would make it….one on 3-15-13.. one on 3-16-13…two on 3-22-13…and one on 3-23-13 for a total of 5 observed between 3-15-13 and 3-22-13…also note that these are only the ones reported,of course there may have been more that have gone unreported, as Chris M mentioned no one else reported his sighting…I feel in the Chris M observation 3-23-13 12:35am 12:45am it may have been due to the time it was observed,as this time frame it puts most observable objects in a window of time when there is a signicantly less amount of people out and about to make the sightings and report them….Kudos to Chris M !!!!

I was walking to my car in Westford MA looking up at the sky and saw it, I had seen a meteor last summer that was similar in that it had a long trail that lasted for a couple of seconds but this one was much brighter and green… so cool!
I didn’t mention it to anyone because what are the odds of being outside looking in that direction but my aunt mentioned it today so I googled it and found this site.

I saw it in western MD, around the 14 mile marker. I was headed east on interstate 68 when I saw it around 8 pm or a few minutes after. I initially thought that it was a plane crashing but then realized that it was something else.

Was walking my dog and was so shocked to see this fireball! I jumped because I thought it was a firework and was going to explode! Bright fiery mass with a sparkly dust trail in its wake. Definitely a sight to see!

I was directing traffic in Chester county pa and I looked up and saw something shoot across the sky I thought it was a fire work and it never Exploded and I heard one of the cops say at the same time I did “was that a shooting star”

It was in the early morning hours around 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2013 when I was driving in my car with my little girl and mother. I noticed a bright green falling object from the night sky in my windshield. I have never seen a fireball before, but this was the most scarey, yet exciting thing I have ever seen! I told my mother that must be a falling star and I had better make a wish! It vanished so fast that I thought it had landed somewhere close by, but I guess not. I wonder if anyone else saw that spectacular sight in Bemidji, Minnesota as we did. I will never forget what we saw.

I should have done this early but my memory is great this was 3rd shooting star I’ve seen in 6 months I live on long island and at about 7:45 on this date was driving north west on north wading river rd by the graveyard I saw saw something that resembled a large plane but then it suddenly blew up and the sky flashed blue it was likelighting struck that’s how bright it was it then continued to streak for aprox 1 more second

I saw the meteor around 7:30-8:00. I was at a birthday party and just got home from Wolf’s 111, I stepped out of the car and I saw this huge fireball going fast across the sky, my friend thought it was a rocket ship, but we had no clue. I just researched this now because I was really wondering what it was. I was in Albany, New York.

I saw what appeared to be a gigantic mint green shooting star which had a large white halo wrapping around the green glowing section. It was 7:54 PM on 3/22/2013. The shooting star appeared to move in an arching slow motion until completely fading away. It was an extraordinary and stunning sight to behold. I was standing outdoors in Flemington NJ with several other people, but no one else saw it. Glad to read all the entries here to confirm what I saw. Magnificent !

My mom passed away that evening at 6:35 in NY. When I heard about the fireball, I immediately connected her passing to this phenomenon. Some may think I’m crazy, but I do believe she was sendng a message. She was a very outspoken person with a big personality.

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